Managing your toothache at home

NHS England and the Department of Health have instructed dental practices to PRIORITISE URGENT TREATMENT where possible. The following guidance is to support you in helping managing minor symptoms at home.
This guidance is to reduce the risk of virus transmission to you, our staff, and our patients.

YOU NEED URGENT DENTAL TREATMENT IF YOU HAVE:

– Facial swelling extending to eye or neck or floor of the mouth
– Bleeding following an extraction that does not stop after 20 minutes of solid pressure with a gauze
– Bleeding due to trauma
– Severely broken tooth, or tooth fallen out with pain
– Toothache that is preventing sleep, eating combined with swelling and fever that is not manageable with pain killers

Please call the practice if you have a dental emergency as above.

YOU NEED TO GO STRAIGHT TO A&E IF YOU HAVE:

– Facial swelling affecting your vision, breathing or preventing your mouth opening more than 2 fingers width
– Trauma causing loss of consciousness, double vision or vomiting

NON-URGENT DENTAL CARE

May need to wait until the practice re-opens.

• Loose or lost crown, bridges or veneers
• Broken, rubbing or lose dentures
• Bleeding gums
• Broken, loose or lost fillings
• Chipped teeth with no pain
• Loose orthodontic wires

PAIN MANAGEMENT

Over the counter pain killers can help (take in accordance with instructions on the packet).
Patients who have confirmed COVID-19, or believe they have COVID-19, should take paracetamol in preference to ibuprofen.

BLEEDING GUMS

Bleeding from gums is NOT a dental emergency. Bleeding gums are usually due to gum disease, and will not stop until brushing improves.
Brush 2x a day with a fluoride toothpaste for 2 minutes. Concentrate especially on the areas that are bleeding. Use floss or tepe (interdental) brushes to clean between your teeth every day.

WISDOM TOOTH PAIN

Most flare-ups can be managed with good home care.

• Thorough cleaning (even if painful)
• Corsodyl mouthwash (max 1 week use)
• Soft diet
• Warm salty mouthwash
• Pain killers

If you have difficulty swallowing or swelling in your cheek, you may need antibiotics. Call us or NHS 111.

TOOTH SENSITIVITY

If you have extreme sensitivity to hot or cold, sensitive toothpaste can help. Rub toothpaste directly on the affected area and don’t rinse afterwards. Anaesthetic gel can also help ease pain.

ULCERS

Most ulcers heal within 7-10 days. To ease the pain, try:

• Warm salty mouthwash
• Difflam (Benzydamine) spray or mouthwash
• Thorough cleaning (even if painful)
• Corsodyl mouthwash (max 1 week use)
• Soft diet
• Pain killers

Rubbing dentures

Denture adhesives like Fixodent may help secure a loose denture. Sharp edges can be filed using an emery board.